This invention relates to the field of book holders and in particular to a book holder for holding a book in an open configuration.
Book clips, or book holders, may assist readers in holding books open for hands-free or one-handed reading. These book clips may contact the pages from the sides of the book or in the middle of the book. These book clips may be bulky and difficult to transport such that they may not be useful when reading a book while traveling or outside of one""s home. As a result, it may be desirable to have a book holder that both allows for hands-free and one-handed reading and is easily transportable.
The present invention provides a book holder. The book holder includes an elongated, flexible formed piece of material, a base formed from the material, a first arm, having a first and second portion and a tip, formed from the material, and a second arm, having a first and second portion and a tip, formed from the material. The material has an elastic deformation characteristic so as to permit bending while remaining biased to an original position. The base has a first member substantially transverse to a second member and a third member substantially transverse to the second member, where the first, second, and third members lie in a plane. The first portion of the first arm extends from the first member generally perpendicular to the plane and the second portion of the first arm extends obliquely from the first portion. The tip of the first arm is on an end of the second portion opposite the first portion. The first portion of the second arm extends from the first member generally perpendicular to the plane and the second portion of the second arm extends obliquely from the first portion. The tip of the second arm on an end of the second portion opposite the first portion. When the material surrounds the book in an open position, the base contacts a cover of the book and the tip of the first arm and the tip of the second arm each contact a page of the book. When the material surrounds the book in a closed position, the base contacts a first side of the cover, the first portion of the first arm and the first portion of the second arm contact a middle of the cover, and the tip of the first arm and the tip of the second arm contact a second side of the cover.
The present invention further provides another book holder. This book holder includes an elongated, flexible formed piece of material, a base formed from the material, a first arm, having a first and second portion and a tip, formed from the material, and a second arm, having a first and second portion and a tip, formed from the material. The material has an elastic deformation characteristic so as to permit bending while remaining biased to an original position. The base has a first member substantially transverse to a second member and a third member substantially transverse to the second member, where the first, second, and third members lie in a plane, and a wall lies in the plane and extends from the first member to the third member. The first portion of the first arm extends from the first member generally perpendicular to the plane and the second portion of the first arm extends obliquely from the first portion. The tip of the first arm is on an end of the second portion opposite the first portion and has a loop formed from a section of the second portion. The first portion of the second arm extends from the first member generally perpendicular to the plane and the second portion of the second arm extends obliquely from the first portion. The tip of the second arm is on an end of the second portion opposite the first portion and has a loop formed from a section of the second portion. A panel extends from the first portion of the first arm to the first portion of the second arm. The second portion of the first arm and the second portion of the second arm bend toward the plane such that the second portion of the first arm and the second portion of the second arm are concave to the base. When the material surrounds the book in an open position, the base contacts a cover of the book and the tip of the first arm and the tip of the second arm each contact a page of the book. When the material surrounds the book in a closed position, the base contacts a first side of the cover, the first portion of the first arm and the first portion of the second arm contact a middle of the cover, and the tip of the first arm and the tip of the second arm contact a second side of the cover.
The present invention also provides a method of holding a book in an open position. The method includes providing a book holder having a base, which is formed from an elongated, flexible formed piece of material, having a first member substantially transverse to a second member and a third member substantially transverse to the second member, where the first, second, and third members lie in a plane, a first arm, having a first and second portion and a tip, formed from the material and a second arm, having a first and second portion and a tip, formed from the material; opening the book; positioning the book such that a cover of the book lies within the plane and the first arm and second arm extend from the cover to a first page and a second page of the book, respectively; placing the first arm and the second arm over the first page and the second page, respectively; and sliding the book holder onto the book such that the first portion of the first arm and the first portion of the second arm contact at least one of the page and the cover. The first portion of the first arm extends from the first member generally perpendicular to the plane and the second portion of the first arm extends obliquely from the first portion. The tip of the first arm is on an end of the second portion opposite the first portion. The first portion of the second arm extends from the first member generally perpendicular to the plane and the second portion of the second arm extends obliquely from the first portion. The tip of the second arm is on an end of the second portion opposite the first portion.
The present invention further provides a method of holding a book in a closed position. The method includes providing a book holder having a base, formed from an elongated, flexible formed piece of material, having a first member substantially transverse to a second member and a third member substantially transverse to the second member, where the first, second, and third members lie in a plane, a first arm, having a first and second portion and a tip, formed from the material and a second arm, having a first and second portion and a tip, formed from the material; closing the book; positioning the base on a first side of a cover of the book; placing the first arm and the second arm over a second side of the cover; and sliding the book holder onto the book such that the first portion of the first arm and the first portion of the second arm contact at least one of a middle of the cover and ends of the cover. The first portion of the first arm extends from the first member generally perpendicular to the plane and the second portion of the first arm extends obliquely from the first portion. The tip of the first arm is on an end of the second portion opposite the first portion. The first portion of the second arm extends from the first member generally perpendicular to the plane and the second portion of the second arm extends obliquely from the first portion. The tip of the second arm is on an end of the second portion opposite the first portion.